Notice to owners of pickup trucks and utility type vehicles
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
Before you drive your vehicle, please read this Owner's Guide carefully.
Your vehicle is not a passenger car. As with other vehicles of this type,
failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or an
accident.
Using your vehicle as an ambulance
If your light truck is equipped with theFord Ambulance Preparation
Package,it may be utilized as an ambulance. Ford urges ambulance
manufacturers to follow the recommendations of theFord Incomplete
Vehicle Manual, Ford Truck Body Builder's Layout Bookand theQVM
guidelinesas well as pertinent supplements. For additional information,
please contact the Truck Body Builders Advisory Service
1±877±840±4338.
Use of your Ford light truck as an ambulance, without the Ford
Ambulance Preparation Package voids the Ford New Vehicle Limited
Warranty and may void the Emissions Warranties. In addition, ambulance
usage without the preparation package could cause high underbody
temperatures, overpressurized fuel and a risk of spraying fuel which
could lead to fires.
If your vehicle is equipped with the
Ford Ambulance Preparation
Package, it will be indicated on the
Certification label. The label is
located on the driver's side door
pillar or on the rear edge of the
driver's door. You can determine
whether the ambulance
manufacturer followed Ford's
recommendations by directly
contacting that manufacturer. Ford
Ambulance Preparation Package is
only available on certain 7.3L Diesel
engine equipped vehicles.
Introduction
7
WARNING LIGHTS AND CHIMES
Warning lights and gauges can alert you to a vehicle condition that may
become serious enough to cause expensive repairs. A warning light may
illuminate when a problem exists with one of your vehicle's functions.
Many lights will illuminate when you start your vehicle to make sure the
bulb works.If any light remains on after starting the vehicle, have
the respective system inspected immediately.
Service engine soon
Illuminates briefly to ensure the
system is functional. If it comes on
after the engine is started, one of
the engine's emission control
systems may be malfunctioning. The
light may illuminate without a
driveability concern being noted. The vehicle will usually be drivable and
will not require towing.
Light turns on solid:
Temporary malfunctions may cause the light to illuminate. Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel.
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been properly installed and securely
tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with high quality fuel of the recommended octane and/or properly
installing and securely tightening the fuel cap. After three driving cycles
without these or any other temporary malfunctions present, the light
should turn off. (A driving cycle consists of a cold engine startup
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Instrument cluster
12
followed by mixed city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is
required.
If the light remains on, have your vehicle serviced at the first available
opportunity.
Light is blinking:
Engine misfire is occurring which could damage your catalytic converter.
You should drive in a moderate fashion (avoid heavy acceleration and
deceleration) and have your vehicle serviced at the first available
opportunity.
Under engine misfire conditions, excessive exhaust temperatures
could damage the catalytic converter, the fuel system, interior
floor coverings or other vehicle components, possibly causing a fire.
Brake system warning
Illuminates if the parking brake is
engaged. Also momentarily
illuminates at start up to ensure the
circuit is functional. If the brake
warning lamp does not illuminate at
these times, or illuminates after releasing the parking brake, seek service
immediately. Refer toBrakesin theDrivingchapter for more
information.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Momentarily illuminates at start up
to ensure the circuit is functional. If
the light does not illuminate,
remains on or continues to flash, the
ABS needs to be serviced (refer to
Brakesin theDrivingchapter for more information). With the ABS light
on, the ABS is disabled and normal braking is still functional.
Safety belt
Illuminates to remind you to fasten
your safety belts. For more
information, refer to theSeating
and safety restraintschapter.
!
BRAKE
ABS
Instrument cluster
13
Air bag readiness
Illuminates to confirm that the air
bags (front or side) are operational.
If the light fails to illuminate,
continues to flash or remains on,
have the system serviced immediately.
Charging system
Illuminates when the battery is not
charging properly.
Low fuel
Illuminates when the fuel level in
the fuel tank is at, or near, empty
(refer toFuel gaugein this chapter
for more information).
Speed control (if equipped)
Illuminates when the speed control
is activated.
Oil pressure/Engine coolant
Illuminates when the engine coolant
temperature is above the normal
range or the engine oil pressure is
below normal range. Check the
engine oil and coolant level refer to
Adding engine oilandAdding coolantin theMaintenance and
specifications chapter.
LOW
FUEL
Instrument cluster
14
Transmission control indicator light (TCIL)
Illuminates when the overdrive
function of the transmission has
been turned OFF using the
Transmission Control Switch (TCS).
Refer to theDrivingchapter for
transmission function and operation.
If the light does not come on or if the light flashes steadily, have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible, damage to the transmission could
occur.
Turn signal
Illuminates when the turn signals or
the hazard lights are turned on. If
the lights stay on continuously or
flash faster, check for a burned-out
bulb.
High beams
Illuminates when the high beam
headlamps are turned on.
Door ajar
Illuminates when any door is open
(or not fully closed).
Safety belt warning chime/buzzer
For information on the safety belt warning chime, refer to theSeating
and safety restraintschapter.
BeltMinder chime
Sounds intermittently to remind you to fasten your safety belts.
OVERDRIVE
DOOR
AJAR
Instrument cluster
15
Engine coolant temperature gauge
Indicates the temperature of the
engine coolant. At normal operating
temperature, the needle remains
within the normal area (the area
between the ªHº and ªCº). If it
enters the red section, the engine is
overheating. Stop the vehicle as
soon as safely possible, switch off
the engine immediately and let the
engine cool. Refer toEngine coolantin theMaintenance and
specificationschapter.
Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the engine is
running or hot. Steam and scalding liquid from a hot cooling
system can burn you badly.
This gauge indicates the temperature of the engine coolant, not the
coolant level. If the coolant is not at its proper level the gauge indication
will not be accurate. If the gauge enters the red section, the oil
pressure/engine coolant andCheck Engine/Service Engine Soon
indicators illuminate, refer toWhat you should know about fail-safe
coolingin theMaintenance and specificationschapter.
Engine oil pressure gauge
Indicates engine oil pressure. At
normal operating temperature, the
needle will be in the normal range
(the area between the ªLº and ªHº);
if the needle goes below the normal
range, stop the vehicle as soon as
safely possible and switch off the
engine immediately. Check the oil
level. Add oil if needed (refer toEngine oilin theMaintenance and
specificationschapter). If the oil level is correct, have your vehicle
checked at your dealership or by a qualified technician.
H
C
H
L
Instrument cluster
17
Do not attempt to service, repair or modify the AutoVisiontSystem. See
your Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
Do not insert foreign objects into the videocassette player (VCP) tape
cassette compartment.
The front glass on the liquid crystal display may break when hit
with a hard surface. If the glass breaks, do not touch the liquid
crystalline material. In case of contact with skin, wash immediately
with soap and water.
The driver must not attempt to operate any function of the floor
console mounted VCP while the vehicle is in motion. Give full
attention to driving and to the road. Pull off the road and park in a
safe place before inserting or extracting video tapes from the VCP. A
remote control is included in the system to allow the rear seat
occupants to operate the VCP functions without distracting the driver.
Be sure to review User Manuals for video games and video game
equipment when used as auxiliary inputs for your AutoVisiontSystem.
Do not operate video games or video equipment if the power cords
and/or cables are broken, split or damaged. Carefully place cords and/or
cables where they will not be stepped on or interfere with the operation
of seats and/or compartments.
Disconnect video games and video equipment power cords and/or cables
when not in use.
Avoid touching auxiliary input jacks with your fingers. Do not blow on
them or allow them to get wet or dirty.
Do not clean any part of the AutoVisiontsystem with benzene, paint
thinner or any other solvent.
Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Compliance
Changes or modifications not approved by Ford Lincoln Mercury could
void user's authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been
tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
Entertainment systems
55
Humidity and moisture condensation
Moisture in the air will condense in the VCP under extremely humid
conditions or when moving from a cold place to a warm one. Moisture
condensation on the tape playback head drum may damage the
videocassette and/or drum. If moisture condensation occurs, do not
insert a videocassette into the player. If a videocassette is already in the
player, remove it. Turn the VCP power ON to dry the moisture before
inserting a videocassette. This could take an hour or more.
Dew sensor circuit
²Under high moisture (dewed) conditions, the tape heads and cassette
tape may be damaged if the VCP is operated.
²When the vehicle's cabin temperature is very low and then is heated
quickly, or the humidity is very high within the vehicle, the inside of
the windows most likely will be fogged. Under these conditions, the
inside of the VCP most likely is dewed.
²When a dewed condition exists, the dew sensor circuit stops machine
operation, ejects the cassette and the WAIT indicator illuminates. The
lamp will remain illuminated until the system is dry enough to operate
safely.
Cleaning video heads
Magnetic video heads convert the videocassette into pictures on the
screen during playback. Over a period of time, particles rub off the tape
and are left on the heads. Using an old or poor quality tape together with
dust and air particles, high temperature and humidity cause dirty heads.
Dirty heads generally cause ªsnowyº pictures and, in some severe cases,
blurred or interrupted pictures. A variety of products are available at
video stores to clean tape heads. Use these products sparingly, because
some are abrasive to the video heads. If normal head cleaning
procedures do not resolve the problem, have the system checked by a
service technician.
Foreign substances
Exercise care to prevent dirt and foreign objects from entering the VCP
compartment. Be especially careful not to spill liquids of any kind onto
the media controls or into the videocassette player. If liquid is
accidentally spilled onto the system, immediately turn the system OFF
and consult a qualified service technician.
Entertainment systems
57